Upcoming Drinking Water-Related Regulations

Regulations in Process or Planned

• Perchlorate Detection Limit for Purposes of Reporting (DLR)
  • State Water Board staff is holding a public hearing via remote participation on April 28, 2020. Staff will give a presentation and
    provide an opportunity for the public and interested parties to comment. Due to COVID-19 public health emergency, the
    previously scheduled in-person staff meetings are canceled. The public comment period closes at 12:00 p.m. noon on May 1,
    2020.
    Follow this link to the Revised Notice for Proposed Rulemaking: PERCHLORATE DETECTION LIMIT FOR PURPOSES OF REPORTING (DLR) (SBDDW-20-001)
    Follow this link to the perchlorate regulation webpage
    Follow this link to for information on how to participate telephonically or via the remote meeting solution.
• Revised Total Coliform Rule: The draft regulation package is being prepared.  Follow this link for the draft revised total coliform regulation and more information about how to comply with the current State and Federal requirements.
• Lead and Copper Rule: Draft regulation packages are being prepared for the State and Federal Lead and Copper Rules.  Follow this link for more information about the Lead and Copper Rule.
• Cross Connection Control Regulations: Work on updating these regulations via development of a Policy Handbook is underway pursuant to Assembly Bill 1671 - http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB1671. The State Water Board will be seeking formal comment on the Draft Policy Handbook from the public, stakeholders and interested parties. Pursuant to AB 1671, two Public Hearings are required on the Draft Policy Handbook prior to consideration for adoption by the Board.
  
  

  In addition to the formal Public Hearings, we are holding a stakeholders workshop in advance of the publishing of the Draft Policy Handbook as follows:

  • Stakeholder Workshop: Thursday, February 20, 2020, 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM;
    Sierra Hearing Room, Second Floor of the CalEPA Building, 1001 I Street, Sacramento 95812
    Webcast available at: https://video.calepa.ca.gov/

  Follow this link for the Notice of Stakeholder Workshop.

  Follow this link for the recording of the Stakeholder Workshop webcast.

  The current Title 17 California Code of Regulations are available at https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/drinking_water/certlic/drinkingwater/Lawbook.html
  

Other Active Projects Related to Development or Review of Regulations

• Review of the Perchlorate Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL): The review of the perchlorate MCL has been completed to determine whether it should be revised in response to the 2015 public health goal (PHG). For a summary of the review and more about perchlorate, follow this link.
• Microplastics: Senate Bill No. 1422 (filed on September 28, 2018) requires the State Water Board to adopt a definition of microplastics in drinking water on or before July 1, 2020, and on or before July 1, 2021, to adopt a standard testing methodology for microplastics and requirements for four years of testing and reporting, including public disclosure of results. Follow this link for more information about microplastics.
• MCL Review: To meet requirements of the Health and Safety Code Section 116365(g), each year the State Water Board identifies the MCLs it intends to review. Follow this link for a summary of the most recent review.
• Direct Potable Reuse: The report to the Legislature regarding the feasibility of developing Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) criteria was submitted in December 2016. Work continues on DPR.  Follow this link for more information about Direct Potable Reuse.
• White Paper Discussion on Economic Feasibility Analysis in Consideration of a Hexavalent Chromium Maximum Contaminant Level. State Water Board staff is soliciting public comments and holding a staff workshop via remote participation on April 27, 2020 to provide an opportunity for the public and interested parties to comment on the White Paper. Due to COVID-19 public health emergency, the previously scheduled in-person staff workshops are canceled. The public comment period is extended to May 15, 2020.
  Follow this link to find a copy of the revised Notice posted on the 2020 Board Schedule/Calendar page.
  Follow this link to the White Paper.
  
  Follow this link for information on how to participate telephonically or via the remote meeting solution.
  If you have any questions about the workshop or the White Paper, please contact DDWRegUnit@waterboards.ca.gov.

Other Regulations of Interest

• Recycled Water Regulations: Follow this link for more information about the DDW's activities related to recycled water.
• Drinking Water Program Fees: Follow this link for more information.
• ELAP Regulations: Public drinking water systems must utilize accredited laboratories for water analyses. Follow this link for more information about regulations for the Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Program.

Upcoming Federal Rules

• Drinking Water-Related Regulations (from U.S. EPA)

Other Information

• Division of Drinking Water
• Information for Public Water Systems
• Recently Adopted Regulations
• Drinking Water-Related Statutes and Regulations (Lawbooks)

Contact Information

• Melissa Hall, P.E.
  Senior Water Resource Control Engineer
  (916) 323-0373
  Melissa.Hall@waterboards.ca.gov
• Mark Bartson, P.E.
  Supervising Sanitary Engineer
  (916) 449-5622
  Mark.Bartson@waterboards.ca.gov

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  (Page last updated 04/23/2020)